"Be beautiful if you can, wise if you want to, but be respected – that is essential." ~Anna Gould

Tag Archives: Martin Luther King

I was born 20 years ago and could not control what happened before I was born.Even though I was not there, I remember. I will never take the courage of others before me for granted. They endured things that I will never be able to understand. I can not imagine being blatantly told that I was not worthy because of the color of my skin, but my parents can. My mother tells me of how she was hidden as a child because her skin was too bright. My father tells me of the day when he was refused a doctor’s appointment because someone else’s health was more important.

Today, I sit and thank god that someone stood up for the future. As I sit at a college with students of all colors and religions, I think of fights that have not been fought yet. I think of immigrants who struggle to get by in this country. I think of Muslims who are constantly scrutinized in the media. I think of those who are not yet born. I think of a future way beyond my own. For this very reason, I dedicate myself to helping others. I will always remember.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” –George Santayana